Laundry asks for lifting, bending, reaching, sorting, and decisions. When pain makes those movements expensive, “just put a load in” is not a very complete description of the work.
Make the load smaller in more than one way
Use a lighter basket or divide a load before moving it. If someone can help, ask them to handle the specific part that is hardest, such as carrying laundry between floors. A wheeled basket may be useful on an appropriate clear surface, but it should not create a new trip hazard.
Fold or sort at a comfortable height if you choose to do those steps. Clean clothes can also live in labeled baskets or drawers without being perfectly folded. Separate the need for usable clothing from the preference for a particular finish.
Build a stopping point into the process
Choose a load you can manage through washing and drying, or arrange help before starting. Set a reminder if forgetting wet clothes is a frequent problem. Keep detergent stored securely and within a reach that does not require climbing or painful stretching.
A household agreement can make laundry less invisible: one person starts it, another moves it, another puts away essentials. You are allowed to redesign a chore instead of repeatedly proving you can perform it the old way. Clean enough, accessible enough, and manageable enough are useful standards.