Arnold 'feeling much better'

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Arnold Schwarzenegger

Arnold Schwarzenegger has told fans he's "feeling much better" although "not great yet" following emergency open heart surgery last month.

The Terminator actor was undergoing a planned catheter valve replacement at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles when he suffered complications during the procedure, and doctors determined he needed to have emergency open heart surgery.

The 70-year-old returned home days after the procedure, and on Thursday, he shared a health update video with his fans.

"I just want you to know that I am feeling much better," he said in the clip. "I can't say even with my positive attitude that I'm great because I am not great yet. Great is a totally different level. But I'm good. I feel good. I get good care, good doctors - everything - good nurses."

The video then showed Schwarzenegger sitting in front of a chess board, with the actor-turned-politician crediting the game for helping to "freshen my mind and my memory a little bit."

In the video, which he shared on Twitter with the caption "Thank you all for caring. We are moving forward!" Schwarzenegger also thanked his devoted followers for their outpouring of support following his operation.

"Just wanted to let you know thank you for all the cards, the wishes, the calls, the texts, the emails, all of that kind of stuff that I got from around the world - I really appreciate that very much and you're very kind," he smiled.

He also promised to keep his followers updated about his health.

Schwarzenegger's spokesman, Daniel Ketchell recently explained the former Governor of California's procedure was related to a previous operation he had undergone 21 years ago.

"Yesterday, Governor Schwarzenegger underwent a planned procedure at Cedars-Sinai to replace a pulmonic valve that was originally replaced due to a congenital heart defect in 1997," he wrote in a statement on Twitter.

"That 1997 replacement valve was never meant to be permanent, and has outlived its life expectancy, so he chose to replace it yesterday through a less-invasive catheter valve replacement. During that procedure, an open-heart surgery team was prepared, as they frequently are in these circumstances, in case the catheter procedure was unable to be performed."

The valve was successfully replaced.