Buttle, 24, was diagnosed in mid-August with a stress fracture in his mid to lower spine. He was off skates for three weeks before a gradual return to training.

The Olympic bronze medallist had hoped to be in Victoria for the second meet of the six-meet Grand Prix series but hadn't progressed sufficiently to leave him confident he could match jumps with world champion Stephane Lambiel of Switzerland.

``This is obviously not something I wanted to do, but my priority is to get back to good health,'' Buttle said.

He intends to be fit and ready to defend his national title in Halifax in January.