The left-arm seamer fell to the ground after sending down a delivery in Saturday's T20 series opener against the West Indies, slipping during a brief shower that caused the Kensington Oval pitch in Barbados to become extra greasy.
He bowled one more delivery after a half-hour rain delay before forlornly trudging off with a jarred right knee, smashing a chair in frustration that saw him docked 15 per cent of his match fee.
Topley admitted wrongdoing and accepted the penalty, meaning an official hearing was not required.
It was initially thought the injury was not especially serious and the 30-year-old had a private net session on Tuesday upon England arriving in St Lucia for the final three T20s of the trip.
But England, who lead the series 2-0, announced a few minutes before the scheduled start of the third T20 on Thursday "a decision has been made for him to fly home".
The setback is the latest in a long series of injuries that have dogged the 30-year-old Topley's international career.
It is understood Topley will have scans on the problem on Friday in London.
Having battled back from multiple career-threatening stress fractures of his back, Topley's 2023 World Cup ended early because of a fractured finger.
He missed the 2022 T20 equivalent - which England won - after rolling his ankle when treading on a boundary sponge in practice days before the tournament got under way.
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