A prática regular de atividade física promove uma série de benefícios que vão além da esfera física. A qualidade de vida, segundo diversas fontes, diz respeito ao grau de satisfação de um indivíduo com os múltiplos aspectos da sua vida. As pessoas portadoras de deficiência física podem apresentar níveis de sedentarismo elevados, influenciando de forma decisiva na percepção de sua qualidade de vida.
aBStRaCtThe positive effects of regular physical activity practice are not restricted to physical well being. Quality of life regards the overall sense of well-being of an individual in relation to the multiple aspects of his/her life. People with special needs may present high levels of sedentarism, which has a remarkable influence on their self-perceived quality of life. Therefore, the objective of the present study was to assess the effect of 12 weeks of physical activity practice on the perception of the quality of life of individuals with special needs. 20 male individuals with physical disabilities participated in the study. They were divided into two groups, Sedentary and Active. The instruments used were a questionnaire on demographic data and the World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHOQOL-Brief ). Mean age of the volunteers was 38.1 years, they were single, had not finished elementary school and lived in their own house. Most of them had poliomyelitis. The Active group presented higher scores in all domains of the instrument (physical, psychological, social and environmental). The results obtained in the present study showed that the quality of life of Active people with special needs was better than that of the Sedentary ones. Consequently, we strongly recommend that people with physical disabilities be encouraged to participate in physical and/or sports activity programs regularly.