In 1995, at the age of nineteen, Perales was diagnosed with neuropathy and lost the use of her legs in three months. After the 2000 Paralympics Games, she earned a Diploma in Physiotherapy and married Mariano Menor. She had a baby (named Mariano Menor Jr) with him after the 2008 Games. In addition to swimming, Perales has been a politician, teacher, business person and professional talker. As an Aragonese Party (PAR) political person, she was in office from 2003 to 2007. After she stopped being a political person, she co-wrote an autobiography with her husband. She has no plans to return to office but was on the 2011 ballot for PAR as a member of the Congreso de los Diputados in a symbolic gesture. Perales supports organizations like Doctors Without Borders, Fundación Carlos Sanz and Fundación Vicente Ferrer.