I'm a firm believer that tape, used consistently, can lead to more injuries (can, not will). I've read a number of studies supporting the notion, too, so it's not just my opinion. As a soccer player, I had so many ankle blowouts that I couldn't go two or three games w/o reinjuring one of them to some degree.
I became so fed up w/ it that I started doing a lot of research on strengthening ligaments, which as we know, don't tear and build back like muscle. I ended up gathering a lot of information on Prolotherapy, found a D.O. in my area that performed it and had it done over the course of about five treatments.
For those that don't know what it is, Prolotherapy is a treatment in which benign substances (sugar water, cod liver oil, etc.) are injected directly into your ligaments. The body senses the impostor and reads it as in injury, promoting ligament tissue build-up in the area of the injections. It was an odd experience, because my ankles would swell up and become hard to walk on for a day or two after treatment, just as if I sprained one -- it just didn't last as long.
Anyhow, that was probably three or four years ago and I've been playing soccer two to three times a week since then w/ no tape and zero injuries. Best money I ever spent (along w/ Lasik), but it's only meant to treat injuries and chronic pain in ankles, knees, lower back, etc. It's not really a method of helping support healthy joints.
All that said, I don't want you to think that there aren't instances where tape, wraps, etc. shouldn't be used; Kabuki, I'm sure you'll verify that a boxer would be crazy not to wrap their hands before a fight. I do, however, think that the body learns to depend on "crutches" to a point where they do far more harm than good, and thus, the use of such support aids should be limited.
Sorry if any of that was a bit off topic. I'm a firm believer in unconventional medicine and I went off on a bit of a tangent there.
http://www.prolotherapy.com/
